The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-10-20
Col. Wna. slacWilllams KILLED.

On Monday night Colonel William MacWil-
lisms, Of Jacksonville, was shot and killed In
that city by George Bangs, native of Sanders
Vile, Georgia, who has been sometime resident
In Florida, at Orlando and Jacksonville. A
when Bangs struck MacWiliams in the face
and it is stated that since then he had several
times threatened to shoot Bangs. The following
is from the News. Hsralds report of the tragedy:
A few minutes before the ARRAY occurred Bangs
came up to Houston's place, which is out on
West Bay street not far from the Waycross de-
pot He met Colonel Houston under the avn
ing on the sidewalk, and said that he had come out
there to avoid MacWilliams, who was Sc arching
for him to have q difficulty; that MacWilliams
had sworn to shoot him at sight
THE SHOOTING.
Almost Immediately afterwards MscWilams
walked out of the darkness into the light OF the
saloon. He had evidently seen Bangs, for the
three or four witnesses who saw the affair say
that MacWlliams had his pistol in his hand.
What followed happened with great swlftness.
Bangs seeing bis pursuer's intent, called out to
him, Hold on Hold on there r and Mac Will
liams fred. Instantly afterwards Bangs fired
three or four shots when MacWilliams backed
off step or two, turned about and walked to-
ward Bridge street into the dark. Bangs went
lutO tuC cdiOOu duu SVCi OOOy PiCoChS WY oto
lated the other that no one was hurt Two or
three minutes later, however, negro came in
and said that MacWilliams was dead.
WHERE THE BODY WAS FOUND
Adjoining Houston's saloon on either side
are the open yards of the Florida Railway and
Navigation Company. They are lower than
the street and there is steep, sloping bank on
the inner side of the sidewalk. The palings are
missing for little distance beyond Houston's
h,,rI roI faAfH anA tha oo1AN In fha
railway yard and at the foot of the bank lay
William HacWlliams, his pistol grasped in his
right hand, Q bullet-hole through bit of paper
that pretruded from his vest pocket just above
his heart, dead. He had fallen on the edge of
the sidewalk and rolled down the bank.
Word was sent to the sheriff, coroner and
reporters. Bangs made no attempt to 60 away,
but waited with the others till Sheriff Holland
came and took him into custody.
Colonel MacWilliams was native of Dub
lin, Ireland, was forty-six years of age, and had
lived in the United States from boyhood. He
served in the Federal army during the war
and afterwards lived in Baltimore where he
was prominent in politics. About 1889 he
moved to Florida, and some years later becom-
ing an active politician he gained the friendship
of many public men in all parts of the State.
BE was gifted man, being brilliant orator
and his conversation sparkling with wit and hui
NOR In the Cleveland campaign he was a
Presidential Elector on the Democratic ticket,
but after some service resigned, the question of
his eligibility being raised, inasmuch as he was
postmaster at Italia, in Nassau county, where
he had brick-yard He was elected and served
as Secretary of the State Senate in the session
of 1885. Says the Nesos- Herald:
He was very excitable man and It is not
improbable that of late this nervous malady
amounted to emotional insanity Now that he
is dead, however, his faults will be forgotten in
the recollection of his better side, his activity,
earnestness, brilliant diction and the good fell
lowship OF his earlier years. After life's fitful
fever may he sleep we'll.